This review demonstrates that SSRIs are largely safe in cardiac surgery as no increase in mortality was observed. However, there is a significantly raised chance of red blood cell transfusion. The heterogeneous nature of the current evidence base highlights the need for further research into SSRIs and whether any effect on patient outcomes in cardiac surgery occurs.

A high prevalence of depression is observed in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and depression has been shown to be an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality in this patient population. Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line recommended therapy for depressive disorders, however due to their platelet inhibitory actions they have been associated with increased incidences of post-operative bleeding. This review has sought to address whether the use of SSRIs is associated with a higher rate of mortality, major adverse events or bleeding events following cardiac surgery. A retrospective literature search selected studies comparing the use of SSRIs with no SSRI use in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Seven of the ten studies analysed reported no significant difference in mortality in SSRI users. Five of the seven studies reporting bleeding events demonstrated no significant difference in SSRI users. Three of the five studies reporting other significant morbidity demonstrated no significant difference in SSRI users. Our study demonstrates the safety of the use of SSRIs for the treatment of depressive disorders in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Introduction. Aggregatibacter are Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic rods or coccobacilli that are infrequently encountered as pathogens causing infection. Hypothesis/Gap Statement. The range of invasive infection that Aggregatibacter cause is poorly described. The pathogenicity of species such as Aggregatibacter segnis is debated. Aim. To identify invasive infection due to Aggregatibacter species in a large healthcare organization and to characterize clinical syndromes, co-morbidities and risk factors. Methodology. All microbiological samples positive for Aggregatibacter species were identified by conventional culture or 16S rRNA PCR between October 2017 and March 2021. Electronic records for all patients with positive samples were reviewed and the infection syndrome classified for patients with invasive disease. Results. Twenty-seven patients with invasive infection were identified, with a statistically significant difference in species-specific patterns of invasive infection (P=0.02) and a statistically significant association with residence in the 30 % most deprived households in the UK by postcode (P<0.01). The three most common co-morbidities were periodontitis or recent dental work (29.6%), cardiovascular disease (25.9%) and diabetes (18.5 %). Conclusion. We describe a novel association of Aggregatibacter segnis with skin and soft tissue infection. The propensity of the Aggregatibacter species to cause invasive infection at different body sites and be associated with deprivation is reported. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans bacteraemia was associated with infective endocarditis, and Aggregatibacter aphrophilus was implicated in severe appendicitis and noted to cause brain abscess. Areas warranting future research include exploring the risk-factors required for invasive infection and those that may determine the species-specific differences in patterns of invasive disease.

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Penetrating chest trauma to children is rare in the UK, making up 0.8% of wounds to children. When it does occur, it often results in damage to mediastinal structures including but not limited to the heart, lungs and great vessels. Rarely foreign objects can be intrapericardial. We present the case of a 14-year-old boy who presented haemodynamically stable following pellet gun wound to the chest. Multi-modality imaging revealed the bullet to be in the pericardium without associated cardiothoracic injuries, confirmed following surgery. Although a multi-modality imaging approach was used in diagnosing the precise location of the gun pellet, including imaging involving ionising radiation, we argue that early localisation can potentially be achieved with initial imaging and basic anatomical correlation, reducing the time to diagnosis. Using all the images available, including CT scout images, can assist in localisation and identifying important negatives.